“The City and Guild have reached a tentative agreement for the creation of an ombudsman to provide external oversight of the SPD,” Marlene Feist just informed us in a City Hall press release.

Among the highlights in the agreement, the ombudsman would have the authority to:

Take complaints directly from citizens.

Determine whether investigations of officers are thorough, complete, and fair, and call for additional investigation when warranted.

Recommend mediation between police and a citizen when the ombudsman deems that is the best way to resolve a complaint.

Read our March 23 editorial urging this action.
To read the rest of the press release, and the agreement, go to read rest of the entry.